Is coolant supposed to be thick and gold?

[slogans7]

Took it to my mechanic and here's what happened.

1. The oil cooler (which apparently sits on top of the engine) had an internal leak. Since the pressure is higher than that of the coolant, the oil leaked into the cooling system, producing the sludge. They had to flush out the cooling system four times to get the stuff out.

2. The threads on the coolant expansion tank, being plastic, had just worn out. So even with the new cap I had bought, the coolant leaked out the top.

Looks like the bill will be about $2000. Bad, but not as bad as a blown head gasket or other serious problem.

Thanks to everyone that responded to my question.